import/export capabilities

[levon]

I have two questions about Blender

1. Can it import a .max file? If not, is there a Blender exporter for 3D Studio Max

2. Can it export an animation in .X format?

Thanks.

Blender cannot import or exprt .Max files.. very few programs can as a .max file is a dump of the ram, so you need max to open these files.

2, im not sure.. sorry

[TomR85]

2. Look's like it,: http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Scripts/Catalog#Export

[Meta-Androcto]

hi,
Blender cannot import/export .max files.
Blender can export .x animations.
There are other file formats that Blender can Import & Export to Max.
.3ds & .dfx come to mind.

[ksanim]

I checked the link, and the closest thing I saw was a 3ds importer. I'm looking to import an file that includes animation, so that won't help. So to confirm, there's no way to import a Character Studio animation from 3D Studio Max into Blender?

[TomR85]

You should be able to use FBX or collada to import it, I think. I do not know how it's done in max, but you would think fbx is supported, since it's they who makes it :)

[LetterRip]

Unfortunately Blender import capabilities are still not where they should be,

for importing animation - you can use mdd. Collada works for some files, but is unreliable for import. There is no FBX importer.

LetterRip

[Ran13]

3dsmax/cs can export BVH files. Blender can import 'em.
You need to have a "reference" BVH of the mesh & bones in the default pose, then a separate BVH for each animation that will be applied to the reference BVH within Blender, but it should work. Of course, YMMV. ;)

[ksanim]

What is Mdd? How do I use it in this case?

[LetterRip]

mdd is supported from most formats with the pointoven plugin, it is a format that is originally from lightwave i think.

http://softimage.wiki.avid.com/xsidocs/import_export_ImportingandExportingWithPointOven.htm

As noted BVH is another option, there are probably a few game formats that might work well also.

LetterRip

[brkn]

I've also written importers/exporters for Max's native Point Cache 2.0 format, used in the point cache modifier:

http://mke3.net/projects/bpython/pointcache/

[ksanim]

Thanks for the replies, but I don't know how to convert something in max to mdd format. I took a look at the link for pointoven, but it's an xsi script. Is there there a pointoven script out there for Max?

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